If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Voice shopping with Alexa allows customers to shop for tens of millions of Prime-eligible items. Available on the Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, Amazon Tap, Amazon Fire HD tablet, and Amazon Fire TV, it’s as simple as saying, “Alexa, order [product]” — Alexa will find a product that ships with Prime. Just say, “yes” to buy it. Don’t forget to ask, “Alexa, what are your deals” each day for the latest deals.

Amazon's Echo, Echo Dot and Tap speakers come loaded with features and are virtually maintenance-free. But things don't always go to plan. Here are some common problems with the Alexa speakers and how to fix them.

The Internet of Things, as our rapidly growing collection of connected devices is called, entered a new era of sorts recently when detectives in an Arkansas murder case sought a search warrant to view… or hear… the content of commands or sounds recorded by an Amazon Echo device. The case dates back to 2015 but the gist of the matter is that the home where the murder took place was littered with I-o-T devices that may hold clues.

Detectives say the Echo was streaming music at the time of the murder, and they want to know if the Echo recorded any sounds during what appears to be a struggle. Echo devices are “always listening,” but Amazon says they only record small bits of commands received after hearing a “wake word,” which by default for an Echo device is “Alexa,” the name of the A.I. agent used to execute requests. Detectives are also looking at other smart devices in the home.

The broader implication here is that this new generation of smart home assistants, whether it be an Echo, your phone, computer, security system, thermostat or whatever, may now be forced to rat you or someone else out in a legal matter. How the legal system and device makers will respond to this new wrinkle remains to be seen. So far, Amazon is refusing to release the data while its legal team looks at options; Suffice to say it’s a complicated new problem.